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A 21st Century Reformation: Be Agents of Reconciliation
Leaders from Malaysia, Argentina, Nigeria, and the United States share their dreams for major changes in the global church.
To facilitate a truly global conversation, we ask Christian leaders from around the world to respond to the Global Conversation's lead articles. These points of view do not necessarily represent Christianity Today magazine or the Lausanne Movement. They are designed to stimulate discussion from all points of the compass and from different segments of the Christian community. Please add your perspective by posting a comment so that we can learn and grow together in the unity of the Spirit.
The Reformation of the 16th century was a revolution of mythic proportions. Scholars and pastors with fresh scriptural insights took advantage of revolutionary changes in the arts, science, humanities, politics, travel, and commerce to turn the Western world upside down. It marked both a return to biblical roots and a leap into the future. In the 21st century, what major changes in the church should Christians be hoping and working for? In the final installment of the Global Conversation, four key leaders from four continents reveal their hopes.
Reformation is a work of God so broad, deep, and historic that it is beyond my scope and probably that of the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization. I opt for something more modest: a "reformation of manners" (to borrow a phrase from William Wilberforce and others). The phrase originally meant widespread social renewal, but we might aim more modestly at reforming our treatment of others, with courtesy as believers in the way we relate to one another, with respect as evangelists toward those we seek to win.
Three eminent "fathers" of the Lausanne Movement—Billy Graham, John Stott, and Jack Dain—exemplified for me this spirit of truth and grace, of deep conviction about the gospel and humility toward one's self and others. The world, suggests historian Martin Marty, might be a different place if Graham had been a "mean person." A Chinese Ph.D. student, herself not a believer, told me that she is writing about how Graham approached other nations with civility, "not with a closed fist but with an open hand."
When so many regard Christians (especially evangelists and missionaries) as intolerant and arrogant, it could be a worthwhile advance if from Cape Town 2010 emerges a church proclaiming and practicing a generous evangelism, reflecting the generosity of the Lord Jesus.
Our theme for Cape Town 2010 is from Paul's words: "God in Christ reconciling the world to himself." What an amazing privilege he then cites: that we are "Christ's ambassadors … as though God were making his appeal through us" (2 Cor. 5).
Or, as one paraphrase puts it, "God has changed us from enemies into friends and given us the task of making others his friends also."
Is that how pre-Christians see evangelists? As friends? Or do they see us as belligerents, heavy-handed and fighting even with each other?
Displaying 1–5 of 12 comments
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ms muse
Come on, guys. This is funny. It's a joke. Don't take yourselves so seriously.
Matt J
At least spell Ingmar Bergman properly. Also, I'm not sure what you guys are going for here. Is this an attempt to draw a parallel between semi-decent taste in cinema and worldliness in the "hipster church"? It seems callous and lacking in grace (not to mention lacking in journalistic integrity, or dialogue with ANYBODY whose church was detailed in the article. perhaps that would have been a useful perspective, but heck, when painting with a wide brush it's good to leave other sizes aside.) I'm sorry, this is just frustrating.
Grenville greenroom2001@hotmail.com
What a silly article. Hipsters DO NOT LIKE being called Hipsters! And what a surprise, at 49 I find I am a Hipster. Except... DON"T CALL ME THAT!
Elisa Melbourne
I find this rather ridiculous. Are christians becoming more relevant to the world that they're irrelevant to God's purpose? And how in the world would you 'research' what so-called "hip christians" are into anyway? The medium may change but the message shouldn't and that should really be the focus for any generation. Honestly, give some of us "hip christians" credit who also happen to have strong moral convictions and are not tossed too and fro by the latest social fad infiltrating the church....
Dale Fincher
I'll comment on what I know... the authors. I cannot believe some of these authors are on the same list... some are considered great literature by liberal arts programs and the Academy of Letters and some are just pop-cultural disposable stuff that found a trendy evangelical readership. If half of the good authors on this list influenced the hipsters, the hipsters would be larger-minded and less hip. Heck, if the church in general could just start with learning C. S. Lewis, a dramatic shift would happen. The evangelical church, which claims to love Lewis so well, still hasn't caught up with him 50 years later.
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